ALBANY, New York — The state’s utility regulator directed Con Edison to take action to address concerns about blackouts due to a forecast shortfall in available electricity in the coming decade.
The Public Service Commission at its meeting Thursday ordered Con Ed to solicit potential projects to address forecast reliability needs identified by the utility earlier this month and underscored by recent reports from the state’s independent grid operator.
Only “non-emitting” solutions will be considered, according to the commission staff, limiting the prospect of repowering aging fossil fuel plants. Potential options could include transmission, demand-side projects such as demand response — programs where customers get paid to reduce energy usage when demand is high — or energy efficiency, storage and renewable energy.
“The reliability of our energy system is of the utmost importance,” said Public Service Commission Chair Rory Christian. “Reliability is upheld by the work of us as regulators, the work of our utilities, through the work of innovators, electric generators, developers and other stakeholders. This is an all-hands approach.”
